“I would say he's gonna least miss 15 games…But they've built out so much depth with the Clippers” - Jalen Rose expects a ‘Klay Thompson and Finals ‘ like comeback from Kawhi Leonard, hails their deep bench
Kawhi Leonard's return to the clippers" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-is-sponsored="false">LA Clippers' lineup is one of the most anticipated storylines heading into the 2022-23 season. After rehabbing his partially torn right ACL for the entire 2021-22 campaign, Leonard is ready to step on an NBA court again.
Despite the absence of their star player, the Clippers were competitive last season. Their role players stepped up big time, leading them to the seventh seed in the Western Conference. The Clippers then lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves and the New Orleans Pelicans during the Play-In Tournament.
The Clippers are poised to be a big threat this season. They added significant pieces to surround their All-Star duo of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. Over the summer, they went out and signed former number one overall pick John Wall. The five-time NBA All-Star provides a big boost to their backcourt depth.
They were also able to re-sign big contributors last season. Both Nicolas Batum and Ivica Zubac agreed to multi-year deals to return to Los Angeles.
Former NBA player Jalen Rose complimented the team's depth and shared his thoughts on how the team will handle Kawhi Leonard's return.
"One of those things that Klay Thompson... it was admirable to watch how he responded to his injury, got back and competed at a high level," Rose said.
"I think he's now the kind of player that's relegated to never playing 82 games that's not going to be his goal. So based on that, I would say he's gonna least miss 15 games. So that puts somewhere around 67 games played in the regular season."
"But they've built out so much depth with the Clippers. They have one of the elite coaches in Tye Lou."
Kawhi Leonard is looking like a completely different ball player
After a devastating knee injury, Kawhi Leonard prioritized strengthening his legs during the rehab process. He appeared at Clippers training camp with a noticeably strong build.
In a series of photos posted on the Clippers' Twitter account, Leonard was seen with very muscular thighs. This was the main focus of The Klaw's rehab, strengthening his lower body. In his quest to win a third NBA championship, Leonard is ready to take on a new challenge.
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The five-time All-Star is entering his 11th season. In their preseason matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers, Leonard scored 11 points in 16 minutes. The two-time champion can still knock down his signature turnaround jumper with ease.
Kawhi Leonard and the LA Clippers will face the LA Lakers during their season opener on October 20.